Effect of hypervitaminosis D on the development of the kidney of the chick embryo

ABSTRACT

The present work revealed that hypervitaminosis "D" retarded the growth of the kidney of the chick embryo. Morphological and histological studies were made on the kidneys of 15 and 17-days chick embryos injected on the 5th and 6th days of incubation with a dose of hypervitaminosis "D" equivalent to the dose of the human hypervitaminosis "D" [400 I.U./embryo or 0.08 c.c./embryo]. Retardation of growth was observed in the form of reduction in the size of the mesonephros and metanephros of 15 and 17-days embryos, also degenerative changes were appeared. In 15-days chick embryo, the renal corpuscles lost their normal pattern. The glomeruli were replaced by eosinophilic cells with deeply stained nuclei. The proximal and distal tubules were interrupted and distored. Areas of necrosis and many ill-defined cells with deeply-stained nuclei could be detected in between the tubules. In 17-days chick embryo, there was retardation of growth. The renal corpuscles lost their normal pattern. The glomeruli appeared very small in size and replaced by eosinophilic cells with deeply stained nuclei. The proximal and distal tubules became very small in size and also their lining cells were interrupted and distorted. The mesonephric and metanephric intertubular spaces became very narrow and full of necrotic tissue and excessive fibrous tissue